will shaved heads work with stock length pushrods?

dmc919 · Jan 16, 2009

heads are shaved .030, will the hydraulic lifters adjust themselves or do i have to get shorter pushrods/shim rockers?

ttop88 · Jan 16, 2009

You will need shims or a thicker headgasket. They are both cheaper than pushrods

white 89 GT · Jan 16, 2009

If you have the pedistal mount rockers then use these
Ford Racing M-6529-A302 - Ford Racing Rocker Arm Pedestal Shim Kits - summitracing.com

dmc919 · Jan 17, 2009

ok, thx

347HO · Jan 17, 2009

I have to ask;
What was your quench before you machined the heads, and what is your quench after?

Another question;
Was your pushrod length correct to begin with?

One more;
What's your piston to valve clearance?

From my experience, and experiences of others smarter than I, using a thicker gasket to "fix" pushrod length issues is ignorant.

Maryland Stang · Jan 17, 2009

.030" is significant. You should check the geometry. I think you'll find the rocker arms pushing off towards the exhaust side of the head with the stock pushrod even with shims.

dmc919 · Jan 17, 2009

I have to ask;
What was your quench before you machined the heads, and what is your quench after?

-it's e7 heads on a non ho motor with dished pistons

Another question;
Was your pushrod length correct to begin with?

-they are stock length 6.25" i believe

One more;
What's your piston to valve clearance?

-exhaust is .160" and intake is .040". i'm notching the pistons for the intake

From my experience, and experiences of others smarter than I, using a thicker gasket to "fix" pushrod length issues is ignorant.

saleen9973 · Jan 17, 2009

I had my e7's shaved .030 and used a fel pro 1011-2 gasket which i think is .039 thick. Used the stock pushrods and have no problem. Then again i dont rev my car past 5200 rpm. I will be taking the valve covers off this winter to put new sheet metal ones on i will have to check the geometry.

347HO · Jan 18, 2009

Maryland Stang said:
.030" is significant. You should check the geometry. I think you'll find the rocker arms pushing off towards the exhaust side of the head with the stock pushrod even with shims.

I'm surprised intake gasket issues haven't been asked?
In my experience, mating surface angles may and may not be an issue with .030". More than that, I'm pretty sure some more machining will be required.

57fairlane · Jan 18, 2009

saleen9973 said:
I had my e7's shaved .030 and used a fel pro 1011-2 gasket which i think is .039 thick. Used the stock pushrods and have no problem. Then again i dont rev my car past 5200 rpm. I will be taking the valve covers off this winter to put new sheet metal ones on i will have to check the geometry.

sounds like that would be on the edge of not working.

I have seen motors with the heads milled .020" with running a 1011 (which is .039 vs the stock .047) and it needed a shim (don't remember how much)

saleen9973 · Jan 18, 2009

I had thought it may be a problem with the intake not fitting properly. I even asked my machinist and he told me to check. I checked and everything worked out o.k. but that is just my setup everyones is a little different. You must check everything while you are putting it together, i just got lucky.

347HO · Jan 20, 2009

saleen9973 said:
I had thought it may be a problem with the intake not fitting properly. I even asked my machinist and he told me to check. I checked and everything worked out o.k. but that is just my setup everyones is a little different. You must check everything while you are putting it together, i just got lucky.

What did you check, and do you have pictures of the runners?

saleen9973 · Jan 20, 2009

Sorry i have no pictures of the runners, my machinist told me to get a coat hanger and put it down the runners and feel if it catches between the head and intake. Well it didnt, it was smooth in every runner, so i bolted it up. When my valves were closed the rocker tip sat just a little back from the center of the valve stem.

90lxcoupe · Jan 20, 2009

if you use a thicker head gasket it kind of defeats the purpose of having the heads shaved. check the pushrod length, there is no way that anyone could tell you if its gonna work or not, there are too many variables and when it comes to building a motor there is no cookie cutter answer

rd · Jan 20, 2009

I have 020 milled heads on my 82, (Iron Gt40's) and I run the stock pushrods and stock stamped bolt down rockers with no problems.

I actually installed the smallest shim when I put it together, and then, during some other tuning, took them out. Its run that way for 10 years, and will spin to 6k every time.

Best is to set it up and check it, then decide.

dmc919 · Jan 20, 2009

i'm putting it together with no shims, see how it runs. if it doesnt run right then it's easy to pull the valve covers and shim it

saleen9973 · Jan 20, 2009

I run the stock stamped steel rockers also.

Black1987Stang · Jan 20, 2009

You can't go by how well it runs, it could be running way off on the valve stem and it could run perfect for your expectations, unless you did a compression test or did a back to back dyno with the differences but theres still to many variables. You'll only be able to truely know by covering the top of the valve stem with a sharpie then assemble it and turn it over a few times. that will show where it's running.....I would just check it you can just check one intake and exhaust then you know how many shims to put for all the rest.

dmc919 · Jan 22, 2009

tried to start it up, it would try to start and then backfire through carb. did compression test and it was 90, backed the rocker arm bolt out a little and did another compression test. jumped up to 140. seems like the valves are staying slightly open. looks like i gotta shim the rockers.

white 89 GT · Jan 22, 2009

Yeah I thought it might do that, I like to run as close to zero lash as possible, only tight enough to keep it from making noise. Helps keep the compression up.

Just buy the .030 shims and you will be back to where it belongs.

will shaved heads work with stock length pushrods?

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